Bach landslide as Games innovations ushered in

MONACO (Reuters) - Radical changes to how cities will bid to host Olympic Games, and rules allowing more sports to feature, were among 40 innovations ushered in on Monday as International Olympic Committee members took bold steps to revamp their movement.

On a day which will define the modern IOC for decades, sweeping alterations to the bidding process were unanimously approved, making it easier and cheaper for host city hopefuls.

The changes to the bidding process include allowing hosts to stage some Olympic events in other cities, and even countries.

IOC members also scrapped a cap on 28 sports for a Summer Olympics, agreeing instead to limit the Games to 10,500 athletes and 310 events.

"No. Even in my wildest dreams I would not have expected this," IOC president Thomas Bach told reporters in Monaco after pushing through all 40 of his 'Agenda 2020' reforms in one day without a single vote of opposition from the 100-plus IOC membership.

"It showed the great determination of the members for these reforms to make it happen, to make this progress. That it would go like this was a very positive surprise.

"Some of the recommendations were not easy to swallow. This made this day so special and encouraging when it came to the vote regardless of their own interest, their own position, they were determined to make this Agenda 2020 a success."